Gabriella let out a sigh as she bent down with the dust pan to sweep up the remained of spilt French fries by the pool tables. Coming back up she made her way through people to the trash cans. For a Thursday night the crowd had picked up. People demanding certain music from the speakers which she had to figure out how the sound system worked because she'd never had to before. No one had taught her and she managed to somehow get music through the speakers. Her pony tail was sagging and sweat covered her brow as she returned to the service window where a line had formed. Everything was a mess, she still had three more area's to clean, do her round for the building, mange to somehow get all the equipment back, figure out what equipment was out, and sort through everything that had already been returned. On the other side she raised the gate and took down the back in five minutes sign as she attended to the first costumer.
"Can I get three pools cues and a rack?" the boy said as he held his ID card up.
"Sure thing," Gabriella turned around to retrieve the items bring them back to the window and handing them over, ensuring that the boy signed the sign out sheet and that he place the ID in the box of IDs. The sound of the metal doors shutting caught her attention and she jerked her head up to see the metal doors resting shut. Panic filled her.
"Miss can you play something a little pop-ish?"
Gabriella glaze turned back to the girl in the Yellow dress then back at the door, something didn't feel right.
"You know we don't play students request Amber." a man's voice said from behind her and Gabriella spun around to come face to face with Troy.
"Troy," the reaction was a raspy squeak rather than demanding tone.
"Montez," he said with a smirk. "Bought you something to eat." he said holding up a McDonalds bag. "Took a guess and pictured you more as a crispy Chicken kind." He said handing her the food.
Gabriella took the bag and then looked back at the next costumer in line then at the clock. it was 8:30pm.
"I thought we agreed on ten?" she said still frozen by how close he was.
With one arm Troy reached behind her for the gate pulling it down and bringing a muted muffle to the roar of people outside. "New deal."
Gabriella pushed herself past him and was now walking towards the metal doors with her eyes on him.
"You stay and help me with the crowds in return I'll walk you back to your dorm, and not charge you for that meal." he said with a wink.
Gabriella was quite for a moment. He brought her food? he wanted to walk her home? "What else?" she asked cautiously.
"What else, what?" Troy said placing his back pack on the table.
"What else do you want from me?" Gabriella said accusingly. "You brought me food and you want to walk me back to the dorm?" she said in disbelief. "What else?"
Troy raised a brow as he walked over to the sound system to turn off the music. "One, I brought you food because you look hungry." Troy said ignoring all the moans and boos coming from outside when the music switched back to the college station. "Two, if you haven't noticed there are a lot of people here and a lot to do so sue me if I'm not afraid to admit I need a little help." Troy said closing the door to the sound system and turning to face her. "And Three we live in the same place, so unless you want me to give you a ten minute head start, we're gonna be walking the same way home at the same time anyway. Might as well do it together."
"Oh," Gabriella stilled.
"Pretty full of yourself there aren't you Montez?" he said as he walked back to the gate window.
Gabriella mouth fell open slightly and she watched as he braced to pull the window back up. "I don't think-"
"You in or out?" he said with an exasperated sigh as he lift the gate a little.
Gabriella looked at the bag of food then at Troy. "I'll stay but I'm not going to eat this,"
"Why?" Troy said shrugging his shoulders.
Because you never take food from a stranger unless you prepare it, watch it get prepared yourself, or at least break the seal yourself. Gabriella rolled her eyes. "You want me to stay or not?"
Troy let out a sigh. "Fine." he said bringing up the gate.
Gabriella watched as he began making order of the chaos outside the window. Her own mind still spinning as she looked around the back room, "I'll handle cleaning on the floor."
Troy paused as he looked up from an ID he was currently looking at. "You sure?"
And face the fact of being locked back here with a man she knew nothing about. "Positive." She took the broom and dust pan leaving the room before he had a chance to protest.
"Alright," Troy said as she disappeared into the crowd. "Strange girl that one." He said to guy taking the ping pong paddles from him.
"I never try to understand woman." The guy said.
Troy smirked as the guy walked off, "Have a nice game."
"Will do thanks Troy!" The guy called over his shoulder.
It wasn't until half past midnight that the crowd dissipated and Troy was on the floor hefting the over flooring trash bags from the trash cans over his shoulder. He was making a pile by the back door where Gabriella stood taking the bags the rest of the way to the dumpster. She insisted, not that he had a chance in convincing her otherwise. Troy let out a sigh as he picked up a can from the tile floor, his eyes glanced back towards Gabriella and his body froze. His eyes watched as she used the bottom of her shirt to wipe her brow and he was granted a better view of her toned stomach. His eyebrow arched in curiosity; despite all appearances she was packing some serious muscle definition. Lifting the last bag out of the trash can he tossed the can in and made his way to the back door.
Gabriella looked down at her hands to see the grime of dirt and sticky residue. Flipping her hands over Gabriella looked at her nails and frowned. It was like looking at the evidence of her attacker all over again. She was instantly transported to that night in the hospital, where they took her after she was found. All she could remember was waiting for the moment she could go home. Waiting for that moment she could scrub her body, the white anger returning to her, the burn of frustration and shame searing her skin in patches of dirt that seemed to be tattooed on the surface and dead skin caked under her finger nails. She was evidence, a body of things to be picked and probed at, pictured and asked about, recorder and quoted. Suddenly someone took her hold of her arm and she jerked back hitting her head against the glass door behind her as she shook herself from the past and roaring into the present.
"Shit," Troy instantly let go pulling his hands up and holding them up where she could see them. "Sorry I didn't mean to freak you out." Troy said peering at her with shock.
"Don't touch me," Gabriella said sharply bringing her hand up to touch the back of her head. "God." She muttered as she checked her hand for blood.
"You alright?" Troy looked at her fingers as well anxious to make sure she was alright.
"I'm fine." she said letting out a breath that was shaky at best. She'd never be fine, she'd never be alright, and that feeling of peace was taken a long time ago. Moving past him she made her way into the rest room leaving him to deal with the last three trash bags to deal with. At a last glance she watched as Troy shook his head as he bent down to pick up the trash bags two at a time and tossing them into the dumpster.
Gabriella came out of the washroom her hands red and raw from the scrub she'd given them she noted that Troy was leaning against the counter staring out into the empty game room. He'd put the chairs up and finished sweeping. Gabriella bit her lip as she came to stand across from him crossing her arms to hide her nerves and red hands.
"What's your deal?" Troy said looking past her out the window.
"I don't have one."
Troy's eyes shifted to her and she had to clamp down hard on her entire body not to jerk. "There are two types of people in the world: those who prefer to be sad among others, and those who prefer to be sad alone." Troy eyes watched her closely and Gabriella felt the need to look away from his blue eyes. "I'm going to guess you're the second type."
Gabriella shook her head, his eyes seemed to have a certain comfort behind them and she refused to take part in it. Mostly because being comfortable meant she might lower her guard, and she could not let that happen. "I don't have anything to be sad about."
Troy pushed himself away from the service counter behind him and shoved his hands in pockets directing his eyes at her and almost forcing her to look up at him. "Then what are you so afraid of?"
The question took her breath away from her and she found herself struggling to get it back. "I wouldn't know where to start."
Troy nodded seeming to be satisfied with that answer. He didn't ask another question did look at her with a silent inquiry for her to continue. He simply shrugged and then turned to pick up their bags from the counter and offer her things to her. Gabriella took her things and watched as he pulled the gate down locking it with his key.
"You're not going to ask me why?" Gabriella asked in disbelief as she held her sweater against herself.
Troy shrugged as he slung his back pack over his shoulder. "You'll talk eventually," he said looking back at her with a small smile. "For now let's just work on getting comfortable."
At first the words lingered between them and Gabriella wasn't sure if she believed him or just wanted to. "How do you suppose we do that?" she asked before pulling her sweater on and then slinging her back pack over her shoulder.
"I'm working on it." Troy said with a smirk as he began walking. "Come on Montez, I have a paper on universal health care to write."
Gabriella began walking besides him as they left the building keeping her distance as well as staying close. He didn't say anything else, either did she.